


Orange Backpack

by DestielHasThePhoneBox



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Christmas, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-25
Updated: 2014-12-25
Packaged: 2018-03-03 10:49:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2848220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DestielHasThePhoneBox/pseuds/DestielHasThePhoneBox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony meets a hot guy with a stupid backpack on the subway (don't ask why he's there, seriously, it's not important — also, don't mention it to Pepper, please). Then they talk. Also it's Christmas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Orange Backpack

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for a theme prompt, "orange backpack". Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy random day for people who don't celebrate holidays this time of year!

Tony didn't usually ride the subway. Honestly, it would make no sense for him to. He was Tony Stark. He had a car; in fact, he had many cars, all of which were beautiful and worth more than all of New York's public transportation budget. He also had airplanes, helicopters and a flying metal suit that is definitely not made of iron (honestly, where did that name come from??). 

But. 

Today, he decided to take the subway. There were plenty of reasons why he wouldn't (so, so many reason why he wouldn't), but there were a few reasons why he would. An investigation, being on the run from a terrorist organization of mad scientists (it was one time, but whatever, it could totally happen again), wanting to see how the other side lives. Of course, none of those were the reason he was on the subway today, but they were all totally valid, totally believable reasons. Reasons which he was definitely not measuring to figure out which sounded more plausible as to why he had hung up on his CEO in the middle of a phone call about stocks, or the board of directors, or ...something. He maybe started blocking her out, along with all the Santa's that thought jingling their bells and laughing loudly would encourage him to give them money, after she got that tone she always gets when she's going to bring up something he doesn't want to hear about. With the holidays coming up, she had been getting particularly worked up trying to get him to do a bunch of work so they could all go on vacation. So maybe he didn't make the /most/ mature choice by heading into the subway and complaining that there was bad signal (ha, as if going underground could actually keep his phone from having signal), but no one had ever accused him of maturity. 

So there he was, taking the subway toward Stark Tower... Probably. He had gotten on the first train that seemed to be going in that general direction, and then gotten sidetracked by the guy with the neon orange backpack and hipster glasses. Now normally, Tony would have been stuck at the hideously orange bag, but the biceps attached to it had been enough to distract him from his horror. It was a good thing too, because it was only up and up from there, literally and figuratively. The guy had to be over six foot, made of the kinds of muscles that Tony paid other people to have and topped off with pretty lips, blue eyes and blonde hair. Tony wanted to eat him up. 

Sliding his phone into his pocket, Tony sauntered up to Mystery Guy With Bad Taste — the back pack was paired with a striped sweater, a t shirt that looked two sizes too small and ratty converse, all of which made Tony almost wanted to cringe — smirk firmly in place. 

Before he could make it over there, Orange Backpack spotted him, laying him with the sort of gaze that made Tony want to swoon like the ingenue in an old movie. The smirk slid off of his face and his mouth fell open just slightly at the amount of attention suddenly on him. There was recognition there, but not the sort that he was used to from meeting various fans and not-fans in the streets. Rather, it made Tony feel like he was seeing an old friend for the first time in years, even though Tony was fairly certain he had never met this man. 

After staring at the poor guy for what was probably an uncomfortably long amount of time, Tony blinked and realized what a dunce he was being. 

"Uh, sorry," he managed, feeling like an idiot at his first middle school dance. What the hell was wrong with his mouth? 

Orange Backpack, as Tony's mind had apparently dubbed him, looked as surprised as Tony felt by the words falling awkwardly from his mouth. 

"No, don't be," he said, voice earnest and full of more emotion than Tony thought seemed totally appropriate. 

"Have we met before?" Tony asked, cursing his mouth as soon as the words were out. Seriously now, what was wrong with him today? 

Instead of reacting like any sane person would have what sounded like a cheesy pick up like, Orange Backpack shook his head, looking sad now. 

"No, I don't think we have," he murmured, almost too quietly for Tony to hear him over the sound of the train. Tony nodded, feeling awkward now. It felt like there was something else going on here that he was missing, cause the guy looked sad in a way that was definitely not Tony's fault. 

"Hey, look," Tony tried, the logical part of his mind already screaming at him to just shut his mouth and get off of this damn train at the next stop. "Are you okay?" 

Orange Backpack's eyes widened just slightly with surprise, and then he looked away. "Yeah, sorry," he apologized again. "I just... You kind of remind me of someone I knew a long time ago." 

Tony laughed, maybe a bit more bitterly than he should have. "Yeah, I get that kind of a lot. Like, a weird amount." 

Orange Backpack — Tony seriously needed to find a new name... or find out what the guy's actual name was — cursed. "I'm sorry, god, that's so rude of me," he said. 

Tony raised and eyebrow and smiled. "That," he said, mouth moving into something closer to a teasing smirk than a smile, "is the third time you've apologized to me and we've only been talking for a minute." 

Cheeks reddening, Orange Backpack looked down in what had the be the cutest sort of shyness on a guy that size and said, "Sorry." 

Tony just stared at him before barking out a laugh at the guy's expense. "There it is again," he laughed. "You're fine, really." 

He smiled, the first smile Tony had seen on those lips, and it was like his whole face changed. Suddenly, Tony found himself wondering just how young this man was, because with a smile on his face, he looked so much younger. Almost too young, if Tony were the sort of man who worried about that kind of thing. (Okay, he totally was the sort of man who worried about that sort of thing, especially now that he was getting to be the wrong side of thirty and not slowing down any). 

"Thanks," Orange Backpack said. "It's been... a weird year. I didn't mean to get so emotional on you there." 

"Eh, happens to the best of us," Tony replied, waving it off and meaning it. Breaking down in front of a twelve year old in Tennessee was probably a lot worse than sounding a little sad in front of a stranger on the subway. He said as much and sent Orange Backpack into a bout of laughter, a feat which he was a bit more pleased about than he had expected to be. 

"I feel like I shouldn't ask for that story," he said, laughter subsiding. 

"Probably not," Tony admitted. "It's a long one anyway. Let's just say that it had been a long, weird year for me too." 

Orange Backpack nodded in understanding. "But it's better now?" he asked, looking like he actually cared about the answer. Tony was less used to that kind of earnestness than he cared to admit and found himself answering with more honesty than he meant to. 

"Yeah, actually," he said. "It really is. It took a while and, ah, some help from friends and, uh, professionals." 

It felt weird admitting that to a perfect stranger when he had hardly been able to admit that to Pepper or Rhodey (both had been so proud of him, he was pretty sure they had both shed some tears, but he was pretending that didn't happen). This guy though, just looked a little surprised and then thoughtful. Tony wondered if maybe he'd go and talk to someone since Tony had suggested it. He sort of hoped so. It really had been helpful, at least in getting control of the worst of Tony's issues. He liked to imagine being open about it would help someone else too. 

"That's good," he said then. "I'm glad to hear that." 

Tony smiled, feeling more content suddenly than seemed probable for how stunted the conversation had become. They stayed like that, standing next to each other on that loud train, not speaking. Then the train came to a stop and Orange Backpack looked startled out of his thought. 

"Oh, shit," he said, turning to Tony again. "This is my stop." 

He started to move away before turning back and saying, "It was really nice talking to you."

Tony nodded, a little taken aback by the abrupt ending of their conversation. Presented with the orange backpack again, Tony rushed to the doors of the train. As they were closing, he yelled out, "Wait, what's your name?" 

Orange Backpack turned to respond, but his words were taken away by the sounds of the door closing and the electronic announcements inside the car. 

Tony cursed. 

**

A week later found Tony in the middle of fighting off the villain of the week, a little more bored than he should probably admit, when Captain America showed up. 

It wasn't the first time the guy has showed up to a battle, but it was the first time that it seemed sort of unnecessary. Whatever method he had for picking battles, it seemed like he really only showed up for the really big ones. Between Tony, the Fantastic Four, the Hulk and that random ninja-and-archer couple that no one had a name for yet — or at least not a good enough one that Tony was willing to use it — there weren't a whole lot of battles that needed extra help. Still, he had showed up that first time in what they still called the Battle of New York, despite just how many battles there were in New York these days, and then kept showing up when things were particularly bad. 

Today though, this idiot was only still going because Tony was trying not to use too much force. He didn't want to kill the guy, but honestly, he was making it pretty freaking hard not to. Jumping from roofs with the kind of unconcern that Tony tending to use. The difference was that Tony was protected by the incredibly costly and technologically advanced flying suit, unlike this dumb ass, who was protected by what looked to Tony more like motorcycle leather than anything else. 

Honestly, the only reason Tony was even bothering with this moron was because he was going out of his mind from all of the paperwork Pepper had somehow managed to force him into and trying to hunt down Orange Backpack with just about no information on him. Rhodey had finally hung up on him when Tony tried talking about it again that morning and Pepper had kicked him out of her office with the command not to come back until he had either "found the poor guy or stopped talking about it!" 

So.

Here Tony was, fighting a really subpar villain that he prolly shouldn't have bothered with, trying to keep his mind off of the blue eyes that had been plaguing his dreams and the stupid orange backpack that plagued his waking thoughts. 

"I will not be stopped!" the guy — Tony honestly refused to learn whatever stupid name the idiot had come up with — screamed, red in the face as he raised his magical whatever and aimed it toward Tony. Before he could do anything, Tony set off a repulser beam, throwing the frankly disappointing villain through the glass of a shop and into their Christmas display. Tony winced and flew down to street level, then pushed that thought aside with the reminder to himself that they could just bill him. 

"Hey!" came a voice from behind Tony, startling him just so slightly because it was so familiar. Tony turned his head toward the American flag walking toward him and smiled. He loved it when Cap showed up. It always made him feel like a kid at Christmas, a thought which seemed apt when JARVIS reminded him, "It is, in fact, Christmas Eve, sir." 

Tony was starting to wonder how much he talked without meaning to, but he brushed the thought aside to pay attention to Patriotism incarnate's complaints about him trying to kill people, or whatever he was complaining about. 

"Sorry, didn't pay attention to any of that," Tony said, grinning at the constipated twist of lips that he could see beneath that iconic cowl. Then he turned back to Leather Idiot and said, "Look, kid, the police are going to come and arrest you now, but a word of advice? I'd consider a new gig. The super villain thing seriously isn't working for you." 

The sound of sirens punctuated Tony's words and he smiled at the police's punctuality. Sometimes he really questioned whether they were even trying. 

Captain America was still standing behind him uselessly, lips pursed and shield attached to his back now, so Tony turned his attention back on his favorite comic book hero, feeling a childish thrill even if he knew it wasn't possible for this to be /the/ Captain America. 

"So what brings you to this part of town, Cap?" Tony asked, flipping his face plate up so he could look at the other man without all of the random info his HUD wanted to display. "This isn't your usual sort of thing." 

Cap looked away and then admitted quietly, "I'm actually, uh, looking for someone."

Tony blinked at that and then started laughing. "Aren't we all, Cap?" 

Cap smiled just slightly at that, the first smiled Tony had seen on those lips and Tony felt his breath catch in his throat. 

"Actually, I was looking for you." 

**  
An hour and a change of clothes for each of them found Tony and Orange Backpack — Steve, his name was Steve — in a coffee shop that was decked out with blue stars of David and pictures of dradles. Steve was wearing the same striped sweater that strained at his embarrassingly impressive muscles as he had the other day, something which occurred to Tony now as being probably inappropriate for the weather. 

"Aren't you cold?" Tony asked. Steve shook his head. 

"I run really hot," he said, looking away as he said it. Tony raised a brow at that — he himself was in a wool peacoat and scarf in an attempt to keep warm from the icy air outside —but didn't continue on that subject, instead urging Steve toward the line for coffee. 

"So, Captain America," Tony changed the subject. "How'd you end up with a job like that? Were you a fan as a kid and just decided that cosplaying wasn't enough anymore?" 

Steve laughed and then shook his head. "No, nothing like that," he said. "It was kind of an accident. I just wanted to fight for my country and then one thing led to another..."

Tony looked at him and said, "Something tells me there's more to the story than that." Steve just shrugged. 

"What about you?" he returned. "What makes a guy who has everything decide to fight crime in a metal suit?" 

"With a little help from a guy I met in a cave and a missile with my name on it — literally — I realized that I could do more with my time, money and genius than make weapons. So I did." 

Steve just stared at him, mouth open just slightly, and Tony realized what he had just said and decided that he was going to start thinking before he spoke. He turned toward the menu and eyed the specials to avoid looking at Steve. Before Steve could say anything in response, Tony stepped up to the cashier who smiled cheerily at him and asked for his order. 

When they got to the table, Steve took a long drink from the hot chocolate he had ordered and then looked back to Tony. 

"Not a whole lot of people have talked as openly to me as you did since... uh, well, in a long time," he told Tony, blue eyes big and full of that same earnestness that had so surprised Tony the first time they met. "And I recognized you, on the train, so I thought I'd say thank you."

Tony blinked. That was not the sort of thing people actually said. At least not to him. 

"It's really nothing, Steve," he said, enjoying the name on his lips. It was good to have a name to go with the face. And the cowl. Actually, he wasn't quite sure he had fully processed that somehow Captain America and Orange Backpack were the same person. Anyway. 

"It's not though," Steve told him, setting his mug down on the table. "It's really not nothing, Tony. I... Look, I lost basically everyone I knew and I've honestly just been working since I woke up. But you talked to me like a normal person and I didn't realize how much I needed that and... Thank you. Really, thank you."

Tony didn't know how to respond to that so he just waved a hand at Steve in a vague sort of gesture and took a long drink of his coffee. Then a thought occurred to him. 

"What do you mean, woke up?" he asked. "Did you get in some kind of coma?" 

Steve's eyes widened and there was a long pause before he said, "Yeah. Something like that."

Tony sighed. "You are one mysterious guy, Cap." 

Cap shook his head and laughed. "No, I'm really not." 

"Well, maybe you're not, but you're definitely not telling me everything," Tony grumbled. He looked up at Steve again, caught once more by the man's stupidly blue eyes. They were just so clear and honest, if that was the sort of word you could describe eyes with. 

"It's classified, I'm afraid." Steve sounded bitter, so Tony changed the subject. He may have normally been the type to trudge forward with a line of topic even if the other person was uncomfortable, but Steve made him feel weird. He didn't care to think about why. 

"What're you doing for Christmas?" 

**  
It was another few weeks before Steve loosened up enough to start talking about his past and another couple of weeks after that before he admitted that he was the same Captain America that Tony had been obsessed with as a child. Later, both of them would have very different stories to tell about the fallout of that particular revelation: Tony claimed that he had already known because he was a freaking genius, but Steve just laughed and asked why, then, Tony had refused to talk to him for a week afterward? Either way, they both agreed that it had been some kind of miracle that they met on the train that day. Steve even liked to say it was a Christmas miracle (Tony wouldn't say that stupid phrase if his life depended on it and he would certainly never admit to thinking such an embarrassingly sappy thing).

But before all that, before they started dating and before they came up with the idea of forming the Avengers, they spent Christmas together. 

THE END.


End file.
